Vier vrouwen die aardappels rapen op een akker 1834 - 1911

Curator: This pencil drawing, whose dates are recorded as 1834 to 1911, is entitled "Vier vrouwen die aardappels rapen op een akker" by Jozef Israëls. Editor: It’s somber. Stark. The material sparseness really drives home the figures' strenuous labor. Curator: Absolutely. Israëls was a master of Realism, depicting the lives of the working class. This work really captures the genre’s commitment to presenting unsentimentalized depictions of rural life. I wonder about these women and the intersecting oppressions of gender and class they undoubtedly faced in 19th century agrarian society. Editor: The materiality of the art itself really reflects the working conditions portrayed. Look at the hasty strokes—you can almost feel the pressure of deadlines and demands put upon the artist and the models. How much were they compensated? Curator: Those are critical questions! Examining Israëls through a postcolonial lens, one could ask: whose labor supported his art, and what social narratives did his representations perpetuate? Editor: Precisely! I think focusing on the materials pushes us to consider the social and economic realities embedded within art production, and the very act of potato picking represented here, reminding us that even art is work. Curator: Thanks, this lens expands our comprehension of both the historical context and contemporary resonance of such work, inviting more critical conversations. Editor: And it challenges us to really see who produces what, how and for whom – opening up important discussions around consumption and power.